Handlines, Pole & Line, Troll Lines, and Squid Jigging R.S. Manoharadoss Former Principal Scientist, Central Institute of Fisheries Technology P.O. Matsyapuri, Cochin-682 029 Diverse types of fishing gear and methods are employed in the Inland and Marine water bodies for the capture of fish from very early times in man’s history. Fish catching with simple methods are modified to meet the growing requirements depending upon the environmental conditions and availability of local material for craft and gear. The fishing techniques varied from region to region, while the basic principles remained identical the world over. Evolution of simple methods into modern commercial fishing techniques became possible with advancement in science and technology. Traditional fishing methods continue to exist despite the pressure of industrial fishing and contribute substantially to production. The acceptance of newer materials like synthetic fibre and mechanization substantially enhanced the catch efficiency in the Inland and marine water bodies. Line Fishing Line fishing was practised by man from very early times. The principle used is to offer the fish the real or artificial baited hooks and to bite. Line without hooks are well known but as the fish tries to spit out the bait, hooks are added to prevent the escape of fish. Different techniques are, Handline, the common hook and line which is set or trolled, set lines are drift lines with hooks and bait from which series of hooks are suspended: Pole and line with or without natural or artificial bait, Squid jigging in which the jigging line consists of a main line attached with numerous jigs. Handline Handline may be defined as a simplest form of hook and line gear consisting of a hand held single line with rod, weighted , and with one or more hooks spaced along the far end of the line. As fishing gear has become more complex and more efficient, the use of the hand line has decreased. It is employed to take snappers (Lutjanus sp.) and groupers (Epinephelus sp.) in the Caribbean sea. For this fishery each line used about 21 hooks each fastened to the main line by a line ganging about 7.5 cm in length. A 5 kg. attached to the end. Much of the fishing is in water. 55 m to 145 m in depth. About 8 to 1 0 handlines are fished over the side of the vessel as its drifts over the grounds. Fig 1. Hand lines Many handlines have the lead and gangings attached to the main line by swivels to prevent excessive fouling and kinking of the line. Usually lines are hauled in over rollers on the side of the vessel. They are still used to a slight extent on the Atlantic coast for cod, tautog, and mackerel and on the Pacific coast for mackerel; flatfish, ling cod (Ophiodon), rock fish (Sebatodes), and other species. They are used chiefly when fishing for benthic species on reels and very rough grounds that are difficult to fish with long lines. In India the gear is operated effectively for kalava (Epinephelus sp.), in the rocky bottom areas of west coast and east coast where vast resources of kalava are located. Design details of kalava handline The main line is made up of Nylon or Nylon Monofilament of 2 to 3 mm. thickness having a length of 80 to 100 m. At the bottom of the line 7 to 9 branch lines with hooks or attached at a distance of 1 Mt apart. The length of the branch line is 45 to 50 cm. The branch line is connected to the main line through swivel to avoid twisting, entangling of the lines. The upper end of the main line is tied to a reel and the entire length of line is wound in a reel. A weight (sinker) is attached to the bottom end of the line during fishing operations which enables the branch lines to reach bottom when released from the reel. Fishing operations Fishing operations are conducted for kalava at deeper waters beyond 50 m. where the bottom is rocky. Unlike the traditional fisherman, the fishing ground for Kalava is located by a white line Echo sounder which easily demarcates the rocky bottom and fish shoals. As soon as the fishing ground is located, the hooks are baited and the handline is dropped in the water from the reel. The line is released till the sinker touches the bottom. When the fish bite the bait it can be felt on board and at once the particular line is hauled up and the fish removed and the hook is again baited and the line is released for fishing. If the fish concentration is more in the area of operations then there may be fish hooked in many or all the branch lines. Fishing vessel Special vessels having 25 to 30 GRT can be employed for this type of fishing. A vessel can operate 5 to 10 reels depending on the size of the vessel. Each reel has to be operated by one fisherman. Pole & line fishing Pole and line fishing is extensively used in some areas such as Japan, Maldives, Sri Lanka, Lakshadweep islands of India, California and Hawaii for catching skipjack and other species such as frigate mackerel, little tuna and bonitos. This is merely the elaboration of original handline. Most of the catch of yellowfin tuna, skipjack and bonito is made by pole and line fishing. The bamboo poles used are between 2.4 – 2.7 m in length, about 5 cm at the base and 2 – 2.5 cm at the tip. A heavy linen loop is seized to the tip of the pole. A 75 - 90 cm line is fastened to this loop. 60 cm piano wire leader (size 18 to 22) bearing the lure is fastened to this line. A plain barbless hook is used. Another lure called squid or striker, is a similar hook with the shank embedded in the tubular brass filled with lead, with white feathers projecting beyond the hook. When the fish range in size from 15 –20 kg each, the fisherman fishes individually with his own pole and line. For larger fish the single leader is attached to the lines from two poles are used. For fish over 25 – 30 kg 3 lines are united to a single ring to which is attached a swivel, leader, and single lure. Swinging these huge fish aboard requires utmost co-ordination of the men involved in operations. Operation On sighting a school of tuna, the vessels slows down and live bait is tossed overboard. If tuna strikes the bait, the boat stops and the fishermen line up on racks hung over the side of the vessel. The squid is used whenever the fish will take it as it saves much time in re-baiting and the hook usually falls out as the fish come aboard. Pole and Line Fishing Boat Construction Steel or wooden boats ranging from 20 to 300 GRT are used for operations. Aft-engine type vessels having a fishing platform along the side and stem, on which shower pipes are installed are in use. The hold is partitioned into small tanks with transverse and longitudinal bulkheads, of which those on the centre line and with sea water valves are employed as bait tanks. Ice is kept in the tank along the sides. Bait tank of the steel boats are bottomed with the longitudinal frames. In some larger boats pumps are employed for water circulation in the bait tanks. Equipments Boats over 50 GRT have the direction finders, and some over 100 GRT are also fitted with radar and refrigeration facilities. They are also provided with large powered pumps for circulating water and showering. Characteristics Cruise duration is usually 3 to 4 weeks and cruising speed ranges from 8 to 12 knots. The crew complement is fairly large consisting of 40 to 60 men in a 50 GRT boats. They resemble tuna long line boats, however the latter is provide with a fishing platform and has larger breadth. Design and Operation of Troll Lines Fishing with troll lines, baited with artificial lures, popularly known as trolling is an effective and important gear for the capture of pelagic fishes like seer, tuna, skipjack, bonito, etc. Fig. 2 Trolling operation This gear can be operated from small mechanized boats as well as from small sailing vessels without much of alterations in the deck arrangements. Only a limited crew is required for the operation of this gear. Deck Arrangements Outrigger Poles Two or three bamboo poles are required for the operation of troll lines. These poles must be very strong and 8 to 11 m in length. These poles should be fixed in the deck as shown in Fig. 2 so as to get maximum spread to the lines. During the course of fishing 2-3 lines can be towed from each side pole and 2 lines from the central pole. The lines can be secured on the pole at a distance of about 1.5 m by way of haul in lines, permanently secured to the poles. The central pole is having 2 lines one just above the deck and the other on the top of the pole. Generally 6 to 10 lines are operated from one boat. The extra lines can be secured on two awning post of the boat or any other part of the boat as convenient. Main line Nylon lines of 3 mm dia are generally used as main line. The length of line must be 40 to 50 m and they are marked at an interval of 2.5 m in order to ascertain the length of line while in operation.